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Jackals Slip Past Devils In Shootout 4-3

December 29, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Elmira Jackals News Release


Luke Fulghum scored once in regulation and netted the only goal in the shootout as the Elmira Jackals took a 4-3 road win over Trenton in front of 3,036 fans at Sovereign Bank Arena. The win kept the Jackals one point behind division-leading Cincinnati with the two clubs set to meet Saturday night in Elmira and extended the Jackals' unbeaten streak in regulation to ten games (8-0-1-1).

Fulghum's goal at 7:53 of the third period gave the visiting Jackals a brief 3-2 advantage. Following up on a Joe Grimaldi drive from the right point, Fulghum emerged from a crowd in front of goaltender David Caruso (31 saves) and flipped home the go-ahead strike off his backhand for his eighth goal of the year.

Just sixty-two seconds later, Eric Castonguay sent a left wing drive past the blocker of Joel Martin (34 saves) for his second of the game and team-high 12th of the season to deadlock the game at 3-3.

A scoreless overtime produced the eighth shootout appearance of the season for the Jackals who would eventually post their league-leading sixth such decision.

Martin, in net for three of the five previous shootout wins, sparkled in stopping all five Devils attempts and now has allowed only four goals in 19 attempts against this season. The clinching save on Brad Mills on Trenton's final attempt followed Fulghum's first shootout goal of the year in the fourth round for the Jackals.

The shootout win was Martin's fourth against one loss, tops among ECHL netminders.

The Jackals took their first lead of the night 3:05 into the middle period as Benoit Doucet extended his goal and point streak to four consecutive contests when he scored his eighth of the year on a feed from Pierre-Luc Faubert, his team-leading 26th point.

Faubert sliced into the left wing circle and threw the puck at the net. Caruso appeared to have the shot bounce off of him and it found Doucet to his left. Caroming off of Doucet, Caruso could not get to the deflection in time as his club fell behind 1-0.

Trenton, winner of three straight, came right back to tie the game 1:13 later on the power play. Jekabs Redlihs was off for slashing when Joe Rooney pounced on a loose puck in the right circle and fired it in at 4:18 to make it 1-1.

Frank Littlejohn then was tagged for interference during an offensive zone face-off and it took the Devils just twenty-two seconds to take their first lead over the Jackals in five games this year.

Castonguay got to a loose puck off of a Stephen Wood blast from the high slot and poke in his 11th of the year to give the home team a 2-1 lead.

That advantage lasted until a little over a minute remained in the period and the Jackals pressing hard for the equalizer.

Kevin Ulanski forced a turnover in the left corner and handed the puck off to Doucet. Circling the net, Doucet threw a shot to the front that was stopped by Caruso, but Chaz Johnson was right there to slam home the rebound at 18:54 for his eighth goal and a 2-2 reading after forty minutes.

With Cincinnati's 3-1 win at Reading, their fifth straight victory, the Cyclones maintained their division lead with the clubs clashing at First Arena Saturday night.

Face-off is set for 7:35 p.m. on WETM-18 2008 Calendar Giveaway Night. All fans coming to tomorrow's game will receive the free calendar in addition to seeing another tussle to determine the division leader heading into New Year's Eve action.

Good seats still remain for the tomorrow's contest, the final home game in 2007 for the Jackals, and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, including the Gray Street box office - First Arena (open at 10 a.m.), charge-by-phone by calling 722-3711 and on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.

The Jackals close out 2007 with their first trip to the Cambria County War Memorial on Monday, New Year's Eve, in a 6 p.m. draw against the Chiefs. Catch all the action of every Jackals game on MAGIC FM (92.7/97.7) beginning with the Hill Top Inn Countdown to Face-Off thirty minutes prior to the scheduled game time.

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